


A freak and an asshole

by ChairmanChurch



Category: Shazam! (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bullying, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Jock Billy, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Two shy boys in love that is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-02-16 04:58:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18684619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChairmanChurch/pseuds/ChairmanChurch
Summary: Billy is a new jock that everyone seeks for attention.Freddy is a pathetic freak that everyone seeks for bullying.A Soulmate!AU where the first sentence your soulmate says to you is etched on your skin.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m here again with a new story. This soulmate!au kept running around in my head during lunch today so I gotta write it. Hope you guys’ll enjoy <3

New school year, old school misery. It was how life was for Freddy Freeman, senior at Fawcett high, least favorite of the teachers, punching bag of the soccer team, and of course, freak of the whole school.

The fact that his soulmate mark was _A Freak_ didn’t help either. It felt like an ugly label more than something that one should treasure, really. Even his family couldn’t find a way to comfort him when the words first appeared on his skin at the age of eleven.

There were at least a thousand mouths that had uttered those two words to Freddy by now. How could he know if one of them was his soulmate? He hoped not, because all those people were just douchebags. He’d rather kick the bucket than to deal with them the rest of his life.

One of his few good things in life was that the mark was etched on the lower of his back, not on his arm or neck, or even on his face like some unfortunate souls. No one would like _A Freak_ on their forehead for sure. He could hide it as long as he tucked his shirt into his pants.

Another one of his few good things was his new neighbor, who lived across the street, who was also very handsome. Something Batson, son of Marilyn Batson. Freddy didn’t even know his name because he was too reserved to ask the boy, or Miss Batson, or even his own mother for that precious information.

The Batsons had moved here at the end of summer, bringing with them freshly baked cookies for the neighbor greeting stuff. Miss Batson had come and said _Hi_ to the Vasquezs with the cookies, but Freddy had been too busy brooding over the upcoming school year in his room to get downstairs and say _Welcome to the best neighborhood in Philadelphia_. He instantly regretted it when he looked out his window and see Miss Batson’s son heaving his packing boxes into his room, which was on the second floor with the window on the front, just like Freddy’s one.

The boy had probably sensed being watched, because he put down the boxes and turned to look out his window, staring straight at Freddy, who was temporarily frozen on his spot by that intense gaze.

Freddy gulped. The boy’s expression relaxed. He waved at Freddy with his fingers and smiled. He fucking smiled at Freddy. That dazzling Prince Charming smile. The sun was either beaming in his direction, or there was a fucking halo around his head. Too bright to see, Freddy pulled the curtains shut and threw himself onto the bed.

The new semester was coming, and it was his last year at school, there would be bunches of exams to take and decisions to make. There were also the Bryers and their new disciples of freshmen, who would be undoubtedly enjoying making fun of a weak senior like Freddy, not to mention their already existing followers. There was no need for him to sport a huge fucking crush on his new fucking neighbor to mess things up more. But that smile, those eyes, those fingers.

Freddy was officially doomed.

The next morning, Freddy woke up at six fourteen. He had never been a morning person, but he felt so restless last night that he had just lain there wishing the sun would come out soon.

Naturally, he pulled the curtains to let the cool breezes of late summer fill his room. He didn’t expect the boy was there. He was standing with his back on the window, stretching his long limbs, the hem of his pajama top pulled up and revealed his lower back.

Freddy felt his face burning. He was anything but a creep who goggled his neighbor without them knowing, but he kept his eyes fixed on that V line that led to his buttocks. Soon, that curve was replaced by another V line that led to his dic—

Apparently too busy staring at the boy’s ass, Freddy hadn’t noticed when he turned around. Freddy forced his gaze up to look at the smiling face. The boy waved at him again, then stretched his arms and tilted his upper body left and right, and pointed between himself and Freddy.

_Is he asking me to do exercises with him?_

Before Freddy could fully interpret the gesture, the boy had spread his arms and nodded towards Freddy with his eyebrows raised. Freddy took the cue and mimicked the action. He followed the boy’s movement for more than five minutes, feeling super dumb but unable to stop, and by the time his clock announced it was seven, they had completed the work from head to toe.

The boy seemed to notice the time too, because he tapped his point finger on his wrist to indicate his imaginary watch and waved Freddy a goodbye.

Somewhat deflated, Freddy watched the boy disappear further into his room. He didn’t know how long he just stood there, but when his legs had started to feel numb, he saw the door of the boy’s house open and was graced with an angel in tank top and running shorts. His long legs, his sinew muscles, even his kneecaps looked beautiful. Freddy looked down at his scrawny, boring legs. Life was just unfair like that.

He stood there dumbstruck again, eyes chasing after the boy’s figure until it became tiny as an ant and disappeared into the horizon.

Somehow their morning exercise became a routine for the next week. Freddy would wake up early on his own, surprisingly, or sometimes with the assistance of his alarm clock, spend half an hour in the bathroom to wash his face, comb his hair, even brush his teeth even though the boy couldn’t smell his breath. Then he would wait in front of his window, all the while pretending to look like he was nonchalant and not waiting, until the boy appeared at the exact a quater past six. Together they stretched and bended, sweat reflecting the light on their skin, hair rumpled, chest heaving. After that the boy would go for a run, and Freddy would take a bath, feeling warm all over from the exertion and something more.

The last day of summer, Freddy woke up to find the boy already at his window, waving at him. He felt butterflies in his stomach and then felt it drop. This was their last day of the summer break. No one could tell if tomorrow morning they would still be there doing exercises together, or that they would wake up at different times and went out and about to prepare for their own school day. This was their goodbye.

For the briefest moment, Freddy wanted to cross the road, to knock on that door of Batsons’ house, to get to him, to touch, to talk. A horrible thought struck him. Freddy had felt something drawing him to the boy since the day they first met, but did the boy feel the same? If he was not Freddy’s soulmate, he would feel beyond disappointed because he had never met someone his age that nice and friendly to him even without really knowing him. And if he was indeed Freddy’s soulmate, did he think Freddy was a freak when they finally confronted each other? Both prospects were awful Freddy wasn’t sure which was worse.

With a feeling of throughout panic, Freddy pulled the curtains shut, dreading the boy’s first words to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading <3 I’ll try to update as soon as life lets me!!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your encouraging comments, dear readers, they helped speed up my writing! So I’m here with the second chapter. I’ve finished the whole story so the updates will be up shortly I promise.
> 
> For this chapter, I just wanted to say, “I’m sorry, Freddy, you don’t deserve any of this.”

It was just his luck that the boy ended up going to Fawcett. Freddy didn’t know if he should hear angels singing around his head or see his doom looming closer. He would have more chances to meet the boy, or at least see him around, but at the same time the boy would know his reputation here, something he wasn’t very proud of.

And also just his luck that the boy ended up joining the school’s soccer team where practically all his enemies gathered. Freddy was afraid he would be turned into a dickhead like them.

And the boy instantly became famous. Height six feet one, all lean muscles and face of an angle. Former leader of his old school’s soccer team. Got an athletic scholarship. He could make all the girls and half the boys swoon. First day at school and he had already got all the attention that the Bryers had worked their whole freshmen’s year to archive.

And his name was Billy. Freddy smiled, because it rhymed with his.

Too consumed with his thoughts, Freddy walked straight into his principle’s back. Shirley turned and looked at him with a frown on her face. But once she saw who it was, her expression softened into an indulgent smile. She was one of the rare teachers that saw him more than just trouble despite the fact that she had had to call his parents and Bryers’ into her office more often than not over the years.

“Careful, boy,” said Shirley before she and the gardener took off towards the greenhouse.

Freddy heard laughters erupt right when she was out of earshot. He turned and found students halting to smirk or just openly laugh at him. The Bryers were the loudest. 

There was one person who didn’t laugh. He stood in Bryers’ group with his eyebrows drawn tight. His gaze shifted from the students around to Freddy. When their eyes locked, Billy smiled his easy smile, something Freddy was all too familiar with but still feel as good as new. He waved at Freddy like he truly saw him there like a fellow, not a joke.

Before Freddy could return the smile, the Bryers had obscured his sight of Billy. They seemed to explain something significant to Billy, hands gesturing over their shoulders at Freddy and heads shaking. When the bell rang and all of them made to their classes, Billy lagged behind as though he wanted to wait for Freddy, a deep frown on his beautiful face, but Brett called for him to get going. Billy’s jaw clenched but he turned away from Freddy to follow them. He never looked back.

—

Things kept that way for the next few weeks. Billy would steal a glance at Freddy and give him a small smile, but he would turn away as soon as he found the Bryers watching. It made Freddy torn between the fondness that bubbled up his chest at the fact that Billy still acknowledged his existence and the disappointment that Billy wasn’t that interested in him to actually go and talk to him despite the Bryers.

Freddy, on the other hand, really wanted to go and talk to him, but he was too scared of the rejection and the shame it would bring along. So he decided that it was enough that he could see Billy around.

Some days he would go pass Billy on his way to school. His whole family got to work and school in their van, and of course Billy would run to school. He was an athletic after all. Billy would wave at him with all his arm and dazzling smile, and Freddy would wave back through the van’s window. Those moments Freddy would treasure for life.

Today Freddy didn’t find Billy anywhere at school. Some whispering girls passing him on the hallway let him know that the boy had caught a cold. Freddy already bode ill about this.

As it turned out, it was a bad day indeed.

Freddy had reminded himself a thousand times to never ever go to the bathroom during class hours. But he just couldn’t hold it back anymore. On his way back to the class, he was confronted by the Bryers on the stairs, who had undoubtedly asked to go to the toilets just so they could mess with Freddy.

“Did you just go getting off to the image of Billy, you faggot? Handsome fellow, isn’t he?” Brett shoved him into the wall with his arm pressed against his throat.

“You jealous?” Freddy smirked at him, which earned him a punch on his stomach. The air got out of his lungs in a rush and white spots bloomed in his vision.

He doubled over while the Bryers’ laughters rang in his ears. With blurry eyes and all the little strength he got left, he butted his head straight into Brett’s stomach. He felt an elbow colliding hard on his back and he staggered back with blinding pain. Next thing he saw was Burke getting at him. He looked furious, and with one last sneer, he kicked at Freddy’s shin.

Freddy’s knees buckled at the force. And everything went black when he fell. He landed on the floor with a thud and a crack. When Freddy tried to move, his right leg sent a searing pain throughout his body. He couldn’t force his eyes to open and all he could do was lie there and gasp for air.

He didn’t know how long before someone found him, but when he finally got his eyes opened he was in a brightly lit hospital room. He must have fainted from the onset of extreme pain at some point.

The rest of his family fussed over him, checking his forehead for temperature and practically everywhere for any signs of new injuries. When they were assured that he was what he looked like, bruised and scratched, nothing eternal damaged like the doctor had said, they bombarded Freddy with questions about who’s and how’s. All Freddy’s fogged mind could focus on was his leg, which was on a sling attracted with the bar over his bed and wrapped with fiberglass cast.

_Wonderful, now I’m also a cripple._

Freddy didn’t tell his parents or his siblings about the fight. They had gone through this kind of stuff with him getting into troubles with the Bryers and it always ended up with the Bryers saying it was an accident. Everyone knew it was a lie, but it was just Freddy’s luck that they got no evidences of their crime. His school life would get much better if there were cameras in every corner, not just crucial points, because the Bryers just knew all the hidden spots to pick on him.

At the end of that awful day, he was released from the hospital and came home with an overwhelming urge to go and see Billy. They were practically just five minutes apart, two if he ran. He wanted to ask Billy if he had felt any better, if he could go to school tomorrow so they could smile discreetly at each other. But he resisted it. He must look terrible now with his swollen face and broken leg. He must look pathetic even.

So he just lay very still on his bed, feeling his mark burning in pain with his leg, and prayed to all the Gods above that it would heal soon before Billy could see him at his weakest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also wanna say sorry if this chapter upset you guys. And prepare for the next one because shit’ll hit the fan, you’ve been warned!!
> 
> Thank you for reading <3


	3. Chapter 3

Billy woke up with a runny nose and a throbbing head. Normally it took at most three days for the cold to cease but this time it seemed worse. He had called sick for five days already, and he felt numb all over from the lack of his daily exercise. And he just couldn’t lie here for the next few days. He felt anxious to go to school and see Freddy Freeman, his neighbor, his schoolmate, his crush.

Billy wasn’t easy to get a zing when he met people, but Freddy’s shy smile and clumsy limbs just got his heart stirring with adoration.

He had heard all the shit the students talked about Freddy, about he was an orphan, a fag, a loser at sports, a loser at studying, talking all weird shit about superheros, no friends, no relationships, no anything. Billy believed there was more to him than that, it was just that people didn’t want to see him. He had seen Freddy braid Darla’s hair, help Mary with her heavy science project, carry Eugene on his back when the boy lost his glasses, and join Pedro’s baking club when no one did–Billy reminded himself to join the club today even though he was a disaster cook. He even saw Freddy take his next door old lady’s dogs for a walk and tend to her lawn. Mind you, Billy isn’t a stalker, he’s just an observer and he cares about Freddy, that’s all.

Freddy might have no friends, but that wasn’t his fault, and it was others’ loss they didn’t get to know and befriend him. Billy wanted to get to know and befriend him. He didn’t care if he was an orphan or he liked boys or he was a virgin, all he could think of was how nice and kind he was.

The problem was the Bryers. Billy didn’t expect them to know his old schoolmates, and now they knew about him.

_“What did you call it? A divorce?” Burke spat at him. “It’s a rape. And you’re an unwanted. Your mom was drunk and your father fucked her, and if she said it was consensual, that’s bullshit. He should’ve been in prison. You were born because your mom was raped and she even didn’t have guts to stand up for herself because of the shame.”_

_Billy had been in this place before. And he had beat those dicks to pulp at his old school, which was also the reason his scholarship had been taken and he had been expelled. He could punch the Bryers in the face right now, but they knew his weakness and held it against him like a knife against his throat._

_“You wouldn’t want that Freddy boy to know that, would you?” Burke jerked his thumb in Freddy’s direction behind his back. “That you’re a bastard and a reminder of what had happened to your mom? So know your standing and don’t think about getting closer to him. He’s our entertainment as long as he’s got no friends. You’ve got my words.”_

He didn’t care if the whole school know, but somehow Freddy’s opinion mattered. He had given the Bryers a grudging nod and followed them, all the time feeling disgusted with himself and his cowardice.

“You up?” Marilyn’s voice pulled him out of his reverie. She was carrying a tray with Billy’s breakfast and pills. There were wrinkles around her eyes and when she smiled there were lines around her mouth. She looked older than most women at the age of thirty five.

“Yeah.” Billy sat up and smiled at her. “I’m going to school today.”

Marilyn felt his forehead with his palm. “You could take some more rest, you know?”

“No. It’s fine,” said Billy, as he stuffed his mouth full of pancakes.

Marilyn huffed a laugh. “You never looked eager to go to school like this. Last time I checked, you pretended to cough your lungs out so you could take some days off. Something good at school?”

Billy played with the fork, pondering if he could tell her.

“There’s this . . . boy,” Billy mumbled and took a huge sip of his orange juice, hoping it to wash down the lump in his throat. He had never talked about people he took great interest in with her, simply because there hadn’t been anyone. But now that he did have someone, it felt like she was the only person he could confide in. He had no father and no siblings, and old friends weren’t much of the choice either. They had probably moved on with their life and been better off without a troubled friend like him.

“Oh,” said Marilyn. She looked surprised for a moment before her eyes glinted with amusement. She made to sit down on the bed and asked fondly, “What’s about this boy?”

“He’s very nice, but he’s got no friends because people think it’s fun to see him less because he’s a foster kid.”

This must strike Marilyn hard. Having a son with no dad, she had great sympathy for orphanage kids. But what she said next took Billy off guard.

“Is it Freddy?”

The fork hit the plate with a clang.

“How did you know?” Billy sputtered.

“I saw you two doing exercises together last summer,” said Marilyn, giving him a smirk that said _Mother knows it all_. “I was starting to wonder why you didn’t visit his house and hang out with him.”

“Well, we haven’t talked.” Billy pursed his lips and avoided her penetrating gaze.

“Is it because of the soul—“

“Yes,” Billy said with a deep sigh.

“Oh honey, you must like Freddy so much that you’re afraid,” Marilyn cooed with an indulgent smile, but her expression sobered instantly when he reached out and touched the mark on his forearm. “You see, Billy, those marks might give you some clues of who’s your soulmate, but they don’t necessarily shape your fate and definitely don’t define you.”

What she said was true. If there was a competition on the most disastrous soulmarks, no one could beat her. Looking at her arm, he even found himself lucky. Her mark said she was such a slutty woman, but she was no slut. She had just been so young and naive. And her soulmate, the man whose blood ran in Billy’s vein, rejected her. Billy had no idea if she had really loved him, but she had known he was poisonous and accepted the rejection cooly.

“Listen, Billy. Just go talk to the boy. You either find your soulmate or have a new friend. Either is great, see?”

_Yes. It is, but—_

“What if he knows about how I was born a fatherless son?”

Marilyn just barked a laugh. “You silly boy. I think Freddy’s is one of the least likely people who would ever hold that against you. And if he does, maybe he’s not worth it.”

Billy prayed to all the Gods above that Freddy was worth it.

—

What Billy saw when he got to school shouldn’t surprise him but he still found his eyes stinging with raged tears.

Freddy was leaning on a crutch, his right leg in cast, struggling to balance his books and lock his locker.

Billy made his way towards him, but the Bryers were already half way ahead of him. Billy didn’t know what was going on, but at that very moment, there were waves of students pouring out from every direction and marched in towards Freddy. He also saw a very ugly black eye on Burke’s furious face, so this must be the brothers’ form of revenge on the boy.

Billy broke into a run. He wished he could be faster. He wished he could get to Freddy first. But soon the crowd around Freddy and the Bryers was so thick Billy had to push his way through, knocking several students aside and earning himself every curse word imaginable. On his way to the center, he saw Darla, Freddy’s little sister, also squeeze herself through the mass of bodies, but she was too small and got knocked away every step she took.

Billy called for her, “Darla, go find the teachers.”

She turned at her name and looked at him, her brown eyes tearful with concern. Then she gave him a nod that said _I’m counting on you_ before taking off.

When he finally got to the ring of his soccer teammates who were swarming towards the center to kick their legs mercilessly at the lying figure on the floor, Billy knew he had been too late.

“Just stop,” Billy shouted, lunging at them. Two thick-necked boys grabbed at his shoulders and yanked him backwards. He was outnumbered. If only he could get to Freddy to cover him up.

He nudged his elbow into one of the boy’s ribs and ducked down when the other boy threw his fist at him. It was a losing fight, but after taking several kicks and punches in his face and stomach, Billy finally got an arm through the ring of thick muscles and took a handful of Freddy’s shirt to pull him towards him.

There was a ripping sound of fabric, and whatever caused it, it seemed to have an enormous effect on the fight that everyone stilled their movement. The warmth of flesh against his fist vanished, and when Billy withdrew his hand there was only a torn fabric that was supposed to be Freddy’s tee shirt in his grip.

The laughters erupted like fire spread throughout the ring of bullies. Billy just knelt there while they stepped aside as though he was Moses so he and the whole crowd could see. Freddy was there, lying on the floor with bruises booming all over his skin, blood on one side of his face, curling in on himself. He was looking at Billy with seething hatred.

“A freak,” someone behind Freddy cried out and everyone standing near by laughed even louder. Then there was a chant of _A freak’s_ that broke throughout the crowd.

“The principal is coming,” a brunette boy ran over to the Bryers and alerted all of them. The laughters and mocking died down and the crowd flocked away from the scene, still chortling in malice.

Brett and Burke walked past him with a smirk on their faces, nudged hard on his shoulders and laughed victoriously when the impact made him stagger and land hard on his back. Watching Freddy lying there, his upper body exposed, wrapping his arms around himself in shame, drained all the strength of him.

“You’re an asshole,” Freddy shouted at him when the Bryers disappeared around the turn. “Just like them,” he spatted. “But you know what? You’re worse. Because they didn’t pretend they like me. They didn’t smile and wave at me. They didn’t make me feel like we could be friends. Or that you actually liked me, but you were too ashamed to go and talk to me and afraid of the bad reputation it’d bring. Now you probably think I’m a freak too.”

“A freak?” Billy scrambled to his knees and reached out to him, but like a wounded animal, Freddy just hissed at him and pulled his body away. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want this to be how they began and how they ended. He had to explain to Freddy that he wanted to talk to him and be friends with him. “God no. I’d never—“

“Just shut up,” Freddy practically screamed now, tears flowing from his puffed eyes. “Feeling great humiliating me, didn’t you? Pulling off my shirt? Revealing my mark? Wow that was such a great idea, even the Bryers didn’t dare.”

“Freddy, just listen to me,” Billy said and laid a hand on his shoulder, but Billy pulled away with a growl.

“Get off me, you bastard.”

It was like a full blow to his stomach. Billy knew Freddy didn’t mean it. He just said it because he was hurting, and hurting Billy was the only outlet he could use at that moment.

“Just let me help you up.” Billy reached out for him again only for Freddy to slap his hand away.

“I don’t need your fucking help, I’m not an useless loser,” Freddy wiped at his eyes angrily and then he just broke into sobbing. “Just leave me alone.”

Billy was torn. His hand was halfway to Freddy’s trembling body when the boy said weakly, “Please.”

This, Freddy didn’t want him to see him at his weakest. And who was Billy to deny him that much of privacy after what he had done to him?

With bile in his throat, Billy made to his feet and retreated towards the entrance. He concealed himself behind the door and looked back at Freddy. He was struggling to get to his feet with the crutch, and after some futile efforts, he threw the crutch away with a frustrated shout. Then he just huddled there, covered his face with his hands and cried until the adults came and rushed him to the infirmary.

Watching Freddy go left a painful void in his heart, and Billy’s spine felt as though it was pierced with thorns and spikes. Freddy was his soulmate, and Billy was losing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! The next chapter will be up real soon <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long, life’s a bit hectic lately. But here you are, the last chapter of the story, hope it’s worth the wait. Writing in Freddy’s POV is really fun so hopefully it cheers you up too!!
> 
> Ps. Thank you guys so much for your kudos and comments and love <3 You’re the best!!!!

When Freddy woke up the next morning, his head hurt, his leg hurt, his whole fucking body hurt. And there was a searing pain in his lower back. It was either because of all the hits he took yesterday or because of the soulmate mark being a little bitch. He put every effort in ignoring it, because no way in hell he was just going to accept that one of those monsters yesterday was his fucking soulmate. He’d rather die a virgin.

He tried thinking of another fun things in his life to forget the pain even just for a tiny-itty moment. Of signing in for swimming for his PE, now that he had nothing to hide anymore. Or of sunbathing his back on the beach. Or of finding his soulmate. Jesus, he didn’t want to think about it, but the pain kept reminding him that their souls had collided.

And his sore mood wasn’t improved at all when his thoughts swayed right back to Billy. A rational part of him told him to get angrier at the boy and at himself for even thinking about him, another part of him, which was much more annoying and nagging, told him that Billy wasn’t that bad. _No_. Freddy slapped himself on the face, feeling his cheek sting. _Billy’s a dick who made you more miserable if possible._

Freddy felt like a stupidest man on earth. First day coming back to school after more or less getting used to a cast around his leg and he thought it was a good idea to punch Burke in the face because he talked shit about Billy and Mister Batson. He should have known he would get his face smashed onto the floor like that. And now his leg treatment went back to the very start.

 _You’d do it anyway_ , that annoying part chimed in. _You’d even punch Burke twice when he insulted Billy if you could, despite the boy being an asshole to you._

“Knock knock,” Darla sang song through the door of his room, and he grumbled before turning to face the wall. He wasn’t in a mood to talk to anyone, even his beloved sister.

Naturally, Darla got in without his invitation. Not that Freddy normally minded. She was also his best buddy who he would share anything with.

“Are you gonna sulk the day away?” asked Darla, flinging herself on his bed.

Freddy ignored her and feigned sleeping.

“Billy, our neighbor across the road, came and found you earlier, but you were sleeping then so I told him to get back later. Now you’re not that sleepy, are you?”

_Billy wanted to see me? Why? Hasn’t done humiliating me yet?_

Feeling even more upset if possible, Freddy snored loudly, just to emphasize that he wasn’t up to seeing that douchebag. He’d rather die in his sleep than to seeing that perceptively handsome face again.

“If I were you, I’d crawl with my one fine leg to him and kiss his foot for saving my life.”

“He could kiss my ass,” Freddy snapped at the wall, giving up on his fake sleeping.

“Language,” Darla tutted. “And I thought you wouldn’t mind if he did that, right?”

“Jesus, Darla. Who taught you all that?” Freddy turned to look at her, frightened.

“It’s just a pun I came across the Internet,” said Darla said matter-of-factly.

“Jesus, those exposures on Internet are making you grow up so fast.”

“Well, faster than you do,” Darla clicked her tongue. Jesus, he started to miss his little sister so much. Just one day of him brooding and now she was a philosopher.

He cleared his throat indignantly. “Well, if pulling my shirt off for the the fun of it is considered saving my life, I’d rather have been beaten to pulp and saved my own face. I bet he colluded with the Bryers and the soccer team all along.”

“Freddy,” Darla snapped at him, her voice shaken with angry. “Don’t ever say you’d let them beat you. You might get used to the bruises and blood but we never get used to seeing you in pain. Don’t be such a selfish jerk.”

“I–“

Before he could made some lame-assed excuses for that very fine point of her, she cut him off with a glare.

“And give Billy some credit. He was the one who told me to get the teachers and took the beating to save your sorry ass. If you weren’t too blind with rage and embarrassment you’d have seen he was bruised all over too. And he stepped up to be your eyewitness. He practically declared war with the whole soccer team because of you. Because of a freaking ungrateful jerk like you.”

With that, she rolled off the bed and walked out the door. She slammed it shut with such force that Freddy doubted no girls at her age could muster.

Freddy sat on his bed with a mouth hanging open. He did really fuck up big time.

For the rest of the day, he was torn between waiting for Billy to come back or going to his house himself to find the boy. Too sore and ached with his old and new bruises, his fucking broken leg, his fucking throbbing mark, and his fucking stupidity, he lay on his bed and wait for the prince to come and kiss him awake. You see, it wasn’t the physical pain he was suffering that stopped him from knocking on Billy’s door, it was his shame and fear that got the better of him again.

What if Billy had weighed his options and concluded that _Nah, Freddy isn’t worth my time and effort_. What if he denied Freddy’s apology because his ego had been wounded too badly? Was he that petty?

No. Freddy didn’t think he was petty at all. Making up his mind, he scrambled out of bed and reached for his crutch.

_Fuck my shame. Fuck my fear. Accepting my apology or not, Billy deserves my gratitude._

Before Freddy could drag himself out the door, something literally flew in his vision. He looked down at the floor and saw that it was a paper airplane. With great effort, he bended and picked it up. He turned it around and saw letters on the inside. He smoothed it out and read, “Look out your window.”

Eyebrows drawn with confusion, he did as told.

Billy was there, in front of his own window. He gave Freddy a small wave with his fingers and a crooked smile–one side of his mouth was bruised. When he was sure he got Freddy’s attention, he turned and gave Freddy his back. Then he reached up to pull off his shirt, revealing the skin that marred with blooming purple bruises and scratches. And there it was, running along his spine, a neatly written sentence in burning red.

_You’re an asshole._

Freddy’s heart skipped a beat. He took in a shuddering breath. And he ran. Ran with all he was worth, with his good leg and broken leg and crutch, down the stairs and through the hallway. When he yanked open the front door, Billy was already standing there.

“I—“ Billy said, and Freddy cut him off by throwing himself at the boy, crutch falling abandoned on the threshold.

Freddy held onto Billy like his life depended on it, or at least his injured leg did.

“I’m—I’m sorry. I’m sorry I pushed you away,” he broke into a rant, arms clutching around Billy tightly. He normally didn’t hug people he hadn’t talked to more than five minutes like this, but this was different. Billy was different.

“I’m sorry I walked away from you too many times,” Billy whispered into his hair, hands drawing up to rest on Freddy’s back, holding him closer if possible.

“So it’s you? My soulmate?” Freddy said. The word sounded funny and cliche in his own ears. He could feel Billy sigh in relief and nod. “How? I—I didn’t remember you call me a freak.”

“Well, I bet you didn’t remember anything I said yesterday because you kept cutting me off and yelling at me,” said Billy. And he laughed. A deep rumble in his chest. “And no. I didn’t call you a freak. It was a question. The Creator must have messed it up and forgotten the question mark there.”

Freddy laughed. There was more to Billy than just his looks. He even knew how to make Freddy feel good with his long hated soulmark. Now it was going to be a funny reminder of all this dumb misunderstanding.

“But you seem to remember what you said to me, or else you wouldn’t be here squeezing my breath out.”

“Well,” said Freddy unapologetically. “I meant it at the time and still meant it when I woke up this morning.”

“So I take it you were still able to sleep. I couldn’t rest all night just thinking about you and how that mouth of yours had put me in mistrust since everyone assumed I was an asshole.”

Freddy pulled away to smile sheepishly at him. God, Billy looked even more beautiful up close. Freddy swore he wasn’t just blushing like a teenage girl at the proximity they were sharing. He sobered up and took some leverage, not going to just let Billy sweep him off his feet.

“I think I’ll just clip it into you unable to sleep thinking about me and my mouth.”

Billy snorted a laugh. “Couldn’t believe my soulmate this flirtatious.”

“You regret now?” said Freddy, wiggling his eyebrows.

Billy reached up and took his face in both hands. He looked deep into Freddy’s eyes as one of his thumb stroked over Freddy’s lips.

“Could I—“

“Yes,” Freddy breathed. Damn, he didn’t even know what Billy was asking for, but he would give him anything as long as he looked at Freddy like that. There was something primitive about that intense gaze, or that their souls were about to bind themselves forever. No one had ever told him how soulmates worked, but his instincts told him that there needed to be a seal of some sort.

And then Billy kissed him. A very chaste kiss. But it was enough for fireworks to bloom behind his eyelids, for butterflies to flutter their wings in his stomach, for their souls to merge into one.

Billy was warm and steady. His presence and his closeness made Freddy felt grounded and secured. And his kiss made Freddy think with great contentment and satisfaction that _Ah, so that’s how a soulmate tastes like. Awesome!_

When Billy pulled back, Freddy’s mouth chased after his instinctively. And they came at each other again, kissing under the flickering lightbulb over their head, not caring about the words on their backs, because ugly or not, they belonged with each other and they just knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you for reading <3 love you guys!!!
> 
> And you could also check out my other Freddy x Billy fic *winks*


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